17 May 2017

News Story: U.S To Hand Over Four Black Hawks By Fiscal Year End

By Anisa Shaheed

The United States has pledged to equip the Afghan Air Force with four Black Hawk helicopters before the end of this fiscal year, Ghulam Sakhi Ahmadzai, technical and financial deputy defense minister said on Monday at a press conference.

According to Ahmadzai, the U.S and the international community will continue to support the Afghan security and defense forces as long as these institutions fight corruption.

“It is specified that Afghan forces will receive four black hawk helicopters by the end of the fiscal year and the process will continue up to 2022. We will receive the support step by step,” said Ahmadzai.

Referring to the defense ministry’s efforts to fight corruption, Ahmadzai said 1,500 employees at the ministry have had job function changes in the past three years in a bid to curb corruption.

He also said over 277 cases of misusing authority and embezzlement by officials at the ministry are being investigated.